Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee
Membership
- Certificate Holder - ex officio
- Named Veterinary Surgeon - ex officio
- Ethical Expertise - ex officio
- Home Office Liaison Officer (Secretary to the Committee) - ex officio
- Facilities Manager (Animal House) - ex officio
- Facilities Manager (Animal House) - ex officio
- A Named Animal Care & Welfare Officer
- An Academic Project Licence Holder
- An Academic Personal Licence Holder
- A Postdoctoral Research Personal Licence Holder
- A Postgraduate Personal Licence Holder
- A Lay person nominated by Court
- Attendance by invitation: the Home Office Inspector and other persons to provide expertise in specialist areas.
The Certificate Holder, the Named Veterinary Surgeon, the Home Office Liaison Officer and the Facilities Managers will be ex officio members. The postdoctoral research staff member and the postgraduate member will be selected, when a vacancy occurs, and will serve for a fixed period of two years. They will not be appointed until they have one year's experience in their role. All other members of the committee will serve for a fixed period of three years. All appointments to the Committee will be made to ensure representation from all animal houses. It is intended that the lay member should be appointed outwith the University. Arrangements will be made for lay members (including the Certificate Holder when appropriate) to attend Module 1 of the Personal Licensee Course.
Remit
To assist the Certificate Holder in the execution of his duties by:
- Scrutinising project licence applications and amendments (with scientific context and ethical standards in mind) prior to submission to the Home Office.
- Monitoring the operation of the appropriate facilities to ensure compliance (with welfare issues in mind).
- Reviewing ongoing projects.
To promote awareness of welfare issues by:
- Monitoring ongoing and proposed work.
- Promoting staff training, education, development initiatives.
- Auditing the commitment to environmental enrichment of each animal house by requiring a specific statement to be made on this matter in Annual Animal House Reports.
To generate reduction, refinement and replacement by:
- Scrutinising project licence applications
- Monitoring ongoing work
- Insisting upon the provision of further relevant information and/or action to the satisfaction of the Certificate Holder before approving applications which initially pay insufficient attention to this issue
To audit all teaching and research activity, unlicensed or licensed, at facilities within and outwith St Andrews, involving the use of animals in the name of the University of St Andrews. Annual Animal House Reports should include a list of unlicensed activities.
Meetings
The Committee will meet quarterly on dates decided at, and announced following, its final meeting of each academic session.
Standing agenda items
- Scrutiny of project licence applications and amendments to existing licences.
- Review of ongoing projects in the second and fourth year of the period for which any project licence is held.
- Items arising from Named Veterinary Surgeon's reports to the Certificate Holder.
- Report from Named Veterinary Surgeon highlighting the significant health issues detailed in his regular reports to the Certificate Holder.
- Promotion of welfare issues.
- Initiatives on 3Rs (reduction, refinement and replacement)
- Review of Animal House Reports, signed by the appropriate Head of School, (annually) in light of best practice, together with updated Animal House Codes of Practice.
- Consideration of non-Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ie non-licensed) proposals.
Project licence applications and amendments
In relation to project licence applications and amendments, the procedure will include the following features:
- Submission to the Home Office Liaison Officer at least three weeks in advance of the next Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee meeting.
- Inclusion of a layman's summary of objectives, costs/benefits, adverse effects, end points and the need to use animals.
- Consultation with the Home Office Inspector.
- Written confirmation of prior consultation with the Named Veterinary Surgeon, the appropriate Named Animal Care & Welfare Officer and the appropriate Facilities Manager.
- Evidence of consideration of the 3Rs (reduction, refinement and replacement).
- Account of the balance of likely benefits against costs to animals.
- Evidence of knowledge of best practice.
- Opportunity for face-to-face Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee dialogue with applicant when necessary.
- Authorisation of the Certificate Holder which will be appended only upon approval by the Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee. (A simple majority of votes in favour will constitute approval.)
- Provision of advice to any applicant on the reasons for non-approval and on appropriate further action.
- Fast tracking of appropriate amendments.
- Detailed scrutiny of the appropriateness of the lay summary.